the license of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Lower Canada than is possessed by the holder of a diploma of the Royal College of Surgeons, and we unhesitatingly assert our belief that he is right. The curriculum is equally if not more extended than that of our own College. On the 15th of October, 1865, Dr. Anderson again writes to the Secretary of the Royal College, but the letter is simply a review of what action he has taken, stating, however, that he has heard the obnoxious bye-law was removed. Whether he is correct in this assertion we do not know, for the official minutes (in detail) have not yet been forwarded to us. On the 13th of November, 1865, this letter is replied to by the Royal College, adhering to the view expressed in their letter of September 26th, also stating, "In reference to this very subject I have examined the minutes of the General Medical Council, in which I find that the report of a Committee from which I make the following extract was approved of by the Medical Council on 21st May, 1862. "It is however clear that where restrictions are imposed on practice by local acts, no such restrictions can have any effect on persons who are registered under the Medical Act, Victoria 21 and 22, cap. 90." For our part we do not see that the extract quoted above throws any light whatever on the matter in dispute; here the Imperial and Provincial Acts agree perfectly, and it is simply owing to some strange oversight that a bye-law of the College has beer made which conflicts so directly with the Act. We have no doubt whatever in our own mind that the stand taken by Dr. Anderson is the correct one-Gentlemen having diplomas from Universities and Colleges in the mother country, are entitled to their license without examination; and if the bye-law which has created so much trouble has not yet been rescinded, we trust that at the very next meeting it will be erased from the books of the College. Even did our local act conflict with the Imperial one, little benefit could be derived from the extract of the report of the Medical Council, given above, for few licentiates of old country colleges, who intend to settle in the Colonies ever "registered," which incurs an expense of £5, without any comprising benefit to them. We trust that in future all cause of dispute will be removed, and that all will unite with the College in its efforts to raise the position of the profession, and put down quackery which now seems to be making vigorous efforts to eke out an existence.

FIRST ANNUAL MEETING OF THE MEDICO-CHIRURGICAL SOCIETY OF MONTREAL.

The annual meeting of the Medico-Chirurgical Society of Montreal was held in the rooms of the " Dispensary" on Monday evening, 15th January,

1866, at eight o'clock. Dr. Hingston, Vice President, in the chair. After the usual routine business had been attended to, one of the Secretaries, Dr. Squire, read the following report of council;

On the evening of 28th July, 1865, thirty-one members of the medical profession, in regular standing in the city of Montreal, assembled in the "Board of Arts" rooms, in response to a circular signed by Drs. Howard, Peltier, and Hingston, to consider the expediency of forming a Medical Society from among their body. Dr. Sutherland was called to the chair, and after the subject had been freely discussed, it was unanimously resolved, on motion of Dr. Hingston, that it is expedient to form a Society for the promotion of medical science, and for other purposes, in this city, and that the society be named the " Medico-Chirurgical Society of Montreal." A committee of organization was named at that meeting, (on motion of Dr. Howard,) composed of Drs. Peltier, Reddy, Leprohon, Hingston, Craik and Squire, to frame a constitution and by-laws for future guidance. An adjourned meeting was held on the 4th August, Dr. Fraser in the chair; and again, a week later, (Dr. Campbell presiding,) when the report of the committee was received and considered; and an original society was organized in terms of law, by the election, by ballot, of Drs. Campbell, Sutherland, Fraser, Beaubien, Trudel, Coderre, Scott, Howard, Craik, Peltier, Bibaud, Leprohon, Reddy, Hingston, Fenwick, Boyer, Lemire, Dajenais, Thompson, F. W. Campbell, Squire, Larocque, Globensky, Des Rosier. At a special meeting of the original twenty-four members, held on the 8th August, the following gentlemen were elected officebearers for 1865:

President-G. W. Campbell, A.M. M.D; Vice-Presidents-E. H. Trudel, M.D., W. H. Hingston, M.D., L.R.C.S.E.; Treasurer-Hector Peltier, M.D., (Edin.); Secretaries--W. Wood Squire, A.M., M.D., and Dr. E. Lemire-Council-R. P. Howard, M.D., L.R.C.S.E.; J. L. Leprohon, M.D.; Robert Craik, M.D.; J. E. Coderre, M.D.; W. E. Scott, M.D.; and the officers ex officio.

At the same meeting," the laws" were referred back to the council for revision. The first regular monthly meeting was held on 25th August, when the council reported favourably to the by-laws, &c., and Dr. Craik gave notice that at the second monthly meeting he would move their adoption. On the 27th October, the constitution and by-laws were formally adopted, clause by clause, and ordered to be printed in French and English, for the use of members. Although but two months have elapsed since the adoption of the above, three communications of value have been brought before the society one by Dr. Craik, on Traumatic Tetanus; a Synopsis of a very lengthy paper by Dr. Hingston, on the influence of the Climate of Canada

on Europeans; and Practical Observations on the Prevention of Cholera, by Dr. Godfrey. The discussions arising from these papers have been of a most interesting character, and have been entered into with spirit and good feeling. Several other papers are already promised, and the society will soon be engaged in the consideration of questions of much interest to the profession generally. Of the eighty physicians now practising in Montreal, considerably more than half are members of the society; and the council hope to be in a position to announce at the next annual gathering, that every practicing physician in the city and neighbourhood has enrolled himself among its members. From the promptness with which members have paid their fees, the funds of the society are in a satisfactory state, and the council trust that the society will be enabled to in May next to more convenient and eligible quarters. The whole, nevertheless, respectfully submitted.

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The report was unamimously adopted, when the chairman, Dr. Hingston, said:

GENTLEMEN,-You must all regret, as I do, the unavoidable absence, this evening, of our President, Dr. Campbell, whose presence would alone have been of far more importance to the society, at its annual gathering, than any observations I may have it in my power to make. But particularly is it for me to regret that absence, inasmuch as it imposes on me the duty, as chairman for the evening, of making a few remarks on the state and prospects of this, our young society. It is only five months since it was first organized, and its present state-which cannot be regarded otherwise than satisfactory-is sufficiently made known in the report just read. And now, with what prospects of success do we enter upon a new year in its existence ? With eighty physicians practicing within the city limits; and with about twenty more within an area of as many miles; with two flourishing medical schools, three large hospitals, and three dispensaries, there is certainly no lack of material, or of minds to mould it into shape. Medical societies exist all over the civilized world. In Germany every little town has its réunions of this character, and the medical press of that country teems with original observations of an interesting character. Surely, then, Montreal can have one such, where members may meet to discuss matters of professional importance. The organization of a Medical Society is most opportune at the present time, when attention is uneasily directed to the progress of a much dreaded disease on the other side of the Atlantic. It will be the duty of this society, on the one hand, to suggest proper precautionary measures, and, on the other, to calm the fears of those who may be needlessly alarmed. And the views, here enunciated, will find a ready vehicle for expression in the

medical press of this city. There are now two medical journals existing (shall I say flourishing?) in Montreal. The editors of both have expressed their well-founded alarm at the paucity of original matter sent them for publication, and have made frequent appeals for literary aid. In no way can such aid be more easily afforded than by bringing papers, however short, before the notice of the society, where opinions are expressed, ofttimes of as great moment as the papers themselves. And these opinions, which cost no labour in their utterance, and which add much to the value of the communications, duly recorded in the pages of the Journals, are the means of affording opportunities of advancing the cause of medical science to those who have neither leisure nor inclination to do more. In this society the harmonious blending of the mixed nationality of its members, enables every one to profit of the different sources, whence each more commonly draws information, and is an additional guarantee of usefulness as it should be, of cohesion. But, beyond this, medical science recognizes no national distinctions, as it can have no natural boundaries.

The two Secretaries were then named scrutineers, and the ballot for office-bearers for 1866 was proceeded with, with the following result : President-Wm. H. Hingston, M.D., L.R.C.S.E., &c.; Vice-Presidents -R.P. Howard, M.D., L.R.C.S.E.; and J. L. Leprohon, M.D.; Treasurer -Hector Peltier, M. D., Edin., (re-elected); Secretaries-Dr. E. Lemire, (re-elected); and W. W. Squire, M.D.,(re-elected; Council-Drs. Craik, Fenwick, Dagenais, F. W. Campbell, and Ricard, and the officers of the society, ex officio.

The meeting then adjourned.

MEDICAL NEWS.

Dr. Corrigan, formerly President of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, to which office he was repeatedly elected, has received from Her Majesty the dignity of a Baronet of the United Kingdom. Sir Dominic Corrigan is physician in ordinary to the Queen in Ireland, and a member of the General Council of medical education and registration. He has contributed many valuable papers to medical literature on fevers and other subjects. The honour thus graciously conferred has given very general satisfaction not only as an acknowledgment of Dr. Corrigan's eminence as a physician, but as a dignity bestowed on an Irishman who has ever been identified with the people and the advancement of science.

CANADA

MEDICAL JOURNAL.

ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS.

On the Exanthemata which have prevailed in Quebec during the past twelve months. By WM. JAMES ANDERSON, L.R.C.S.E.

When we consider the important functions dependent on the skin; that through it there transpires in an adult, every twenty-four hours, from thirty to forty-five ounces of matter, and that the diseases which affect it cause one ninth of human mortality, the importance of the study of the Protean forms which the exanthemata present will at once be admitted, especially at the present time, when there is much reason to suppose that they, as well as other forms of disease, have been, and still are undergoing change of type. Having already made the exanthemata my special study, I have availed myself of the opportunities lately presented by the prevailing epidemics, of prosecuting my enquiries, and in so doing, I have had the advantage of consultations with several friends, who have afforded me opportunities of observing many cases of interest both in private and Hospital practice, and I now propose to give the results.

Of the primary sources of the exaathemata, we know nothing certain, but it is instructive to mark the gradual expansion in their diagnosis. All of them have sprung up since the sixth century; and the Arabian physicians were impressed with the belief, that small-pox and measles, the only two of the now numerous family, then known, were pathologically associated; and as late as 1687, Diemerbroeck asserted that these two diseases were only different degrees of the same malady; but Sydenham, his contemporary, who had devoted much of his attention to measles, permanently separated small-pox from them (which he designated morbilli), and pointed out also the probability of scarlet fever being another distinct disease though the belief of the identity of measles and scarlet fever still generally prevailed, and it was only a century later